Ser Rodrik informs Lord Eddard Stark that Will, a deserter from the Night's Watch, has been caught in the hills. He accompanies Eddard to Will's execution. On the way back to Winterfell he witnesses the discovery of the six direwolf pups in the Wolfswood. The Stark children adopt the pups. King Robert Baratheon visits Winterfell and Ser Rodrik assembles with the rest of the household to welcome him. Robert asks Eddard to serve as hand of the King. Bran Stark is found severely injured at the base of a disused tower.[2] Eddard goes south to King's Landing and Jory accompanies him as the Captain of his personal guard while Rodrik remains in Winterfell. An assassin infiltrates the castle and attempts to kill Bran but is foiled by Catelyn and Bran's direwolf Summer. Rodrik identifies the blade carried by the assassin as Valyrian steel. Catelyn suspects House Lannister and decides to warn Eddard personally. Rodrik offers to send a squad of guards with her but she is concerned about drawing attention. He offers to accompany her personally and she agrees.[3]

They head east through the Vale of Arryn. Rodrik helps fend off an attack by the hill tribes and receives a minor wound, but is able to complete the journey to the Eyrie. Rodrik's nephew Jory Cassel is killed by Jaime Lannister while protecting Eddard in King's Landing.[6]

Rodrik witnesses Tyrion's trial by combat and is disappointed when Tyrion's champion wins.[7] King Robert dies following a hunting mishap and Eddard questions the lineage of his successor, Joffrey Baratheon. Eddard is arrested for treason and held in the dungeons of King's Landing[8] until the newly-crowned King Joffrey orders him beheaded, prompting the North to secede and rise in anger and rebellion. Rodrik accompanies Catelyn to Moat Cailin, where they find Robb Stark's army camped, where he greets Jon Umber like a longtime friend.[9] Robb needs to cross the river Trident but is unsure of the support of Lord Walder Frey. Rodrik advises Catelyn to not go into the Twins alone to talk to Lord Frey. She does so anyway and negotiates safe passage. Robb wins a victory in the Battle of the Whispering Wood and captures Jaime.[10] News of Eddard's execution reaches the camp and Rodrik is part of the group that proclaims Robb Stark the King in the North.[11]

Ser Rodrik enters the Great Hall of Winterfell calling for Bran. He reports that Torrhen’s Square is under siege. MaesterLuwin is shocked, remarking that Torrhen’s Square is just 14 leagues away and wonders how the Lannisters have reached so far north. Osha listens intently as she lights candles at the back of the room. Ser Rodrik speculates that it could be a raiding party led by the Mountain or a group of sellswords. Bran says that they must help their bannermen. Rodrik nods agreement and says that even with most of their forces fighting for Robb he can gather 200 decent men. Luwin wonders if Rodrik needs to take so many and Bran cautions that they must protect their bannermen if they expect their bannermen to protect them. Rodrik smiles at the boy’s wisdom and Bran orders him to leave as soon as he has his men. Rodrik confidently says that it will not take long because southerners do not do well in their territory.[13]

It turns out, however, that the siege at Torrhen's Square was a feint planted by Theon Greyjoy to draw the main garrison away from Winterfell, leaving the poorly defended capital open to attack. Rodrik is caught on his way back from Torrhen's Square. He managed to cut down two of Theon's men, before being disarmed by Black Lorren.

Rodrik about to be executed

He is dragged into Winterfell in a fury at Theon Greyjoy. Theon is going to have him thrown in the dungeon, but when Ser Rodrik spits in Theon's face, Dagmer insists Rodrik "has to pay the iron price" otherwise Theon's men will lose respect for him. Theon is visibly shaken at the prospect of having to execute someone who once trained him, but he agrees and sentences Rodrik to death in order to save face with his fellow ironborn. Bran vehemently protests as Theon had promised earlier that nobody would be harmed if he yielded. Luwin tries to convince Theon that Rodrik is worth more to him alive than dead, but Theon dismisses him. Defiant to the end, Ser Rodrik baits Theon into performing the execution himself by reminding him of how in Winterfell, the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. As Theon unsheathes his sword, Bran wails for him to stop but Ser Rodrik tells him to be calm, saying, "I'm off to see your father." Theon asks if Rodrik has any last words before his beheading, and Rodrik scornfully replies that Theon is truly lost. Rodrik then bravely bows his head and awaits his fate with dignity, but Theon botches the task of executing him with just one blow. It takes him three more sword strikes and a kick to finally behead Ser Rodrik, to the horror of the onlookers and Bran, who continues sobbing.[14]

While using Greensight to view the past, Bran and the Three-Eyed Raven watch a younger Ser Rodrik training a young Eddard and Benjen Stark at swordplay. He is shown having been present when Hodor suffers a mental trauma and seizes, restraining a terrified Benjen Stark. In the present, Theon mentions his killing of Ser Rodrik along with his other crimes as a reason why Jon Snow will kill him before parting ways with Sansa Stark.[15]

When Arya Stark returns to Winterfell, she asks for Rodrik and Maester Luwin to prove her identity to two disbelieving guards, but is informed that there is no one currently of that name at Winterfell, confirming his death to Arya.[16]

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Ser Rodrik Cassel is an honorable knight and stalwart warrior, advancing in years but still hale. He is proud of his facial hair, which he cultivates as "whiskers". He is very unhappy when on the trip to King's Landing he must cut them off. He is fiercely loyal to House Stark. His older brother Martyn, Jory's father, died at the Tower of Joy during Robert's Rebellion. Rodrik has married thrice but only has one surviving child, his daughter Beth. He also dislikes musicians.

In the show, the death of Rodrik Cassel is a combination of the deaths of two other characters in the book: Farlen, the kennelmaster at Winterfell, and Benfred Tallhart, heir to House Tallhart. Farlen is beheaded by Theon, as punishment for killing three of the Ironborn (who were actually killed by Ramsay Snow at Theon's command) who participated in the abduction and killing the two boys Theon passes off as Bran and Rickon - Theon knows Farlen is innocent but needs someone to be punished. Benfred Tallhart, a former friend of Theon and Robb, leads a Northern scout force ambushed at Stony Shore when they come to confront the Ironborn raiders. He refuses to answer questions about the defenses at Torrhen's Square. He insults and spits on Theon, and Theon's uncle Aeron Damphair tells Theon that he must must be executed for his disrespect. He is drowned on the shores as a sacrifice to the Drowned God. In the novel, Ser Rodrik dies prior to the Sack of Winterfell - he is killed by Ramsay Snow, who pretended to have come to aid the Northern host - while besieging Winterfell.